Volume 3 Post/Email 7 – “Disturb us, Lord”
Below is a prayer Deanna passed along to me some time back. "Disturb us, Lord" isn't your typical, comfortable prayer. May the thoughts and perspective of this prayer be a blessing to us this day. -Brian
Disturb us, Lord, when
We are too well pleased with ourselves,
When our dreams have come true
Because we have dreamed too little,
When we arrived safely
Because we sailed too close to the shore.
Disturb us, Lord, when
With the abundance of things we possess
We have lost our thirst
For the waters of life;
Having fallen in love with life,
We have ceased to dream of eternity
And in our efforts to build a new earth,
We have allowed our vision
Of the new Heaven to dim.
Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly,
To venture on wider seas
Where storms will show your mastery;
Where losing sight of land,
We shall find the stars.
We ask You to push back
The horizons of our hopes;
And to push into the future
In strength, courage, hope, and love.
[Sir Francis Drake]
Volume 2 Post/Email 9 – 1 John 4:13-16
As we continue on the primary theme of spiritual formation, another great text to ponder concerning union with God is 1 John 4:13-16.
"We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him."
These words make the profound mystery of God practical and understandable!
These words convey what it means to have a relationship with God, and how this relates to and impacts daily living.
Does God live in me? Do I live in God?
John states that faith (specifically in Jesus) is the avenue to such a union/relationship. "If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God."
Furthermore, John makes this otherwise abstract concept more concrete and tangible. "Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him."
Do I bask in God's love for and affirmation of me each day?
You cannot truly love yourself more than He does! He is wild about you! He delights in you! There are NUMEROUS Scriptures that say so!
Do I reciprocate God's love? Do I show Jesus I love him? Do I tell my Father I love him? Do I tell Jesus I love him? Do I thank Jesus and the Spirit? Do I worship the Father? > An affirmative answer to these type of questions is vital to truly experiencing God (and union with a tri-personal God), and not just having dry knowledge of God, or having what we might describe as an intellectual or academic spirituality.
The other type of questions I need to reflect upon for spiritual inventory and application pertain to my relationships and interaction with people.
Do I love and help others, including those with whom I am different? Do I love, forgive and serve people who have not always treated me with love?
Am I relying on God's love for me and my sinfulness, or disregarding this need and reality? Am I trusting in the transforming power of God's Spirit and Jesus' presence to change inwardly and overcome my unloving attitudes and tendencies toward people?
God wants us to learn, and be ever learning, how to live in union with him.
Through our love for others and from others we experience the loving presence of God - heaven on earth.
Fellowship (loving union) with God is what creates transformation in our lives. Faith in Jesus expressed through prayer to God (in love) and through love for others are tangible acts that help us consciously be aware of this all-important, imperative union.
Think of what your life would be without an authentic relationship with God!
Think of what your relationships would be without the giving and receiving of Christ's love!
First John 4:13 states that God's Spirit is in you, filling you with love and empowering you to love!
We cannot love very long on our own resources. We need the presence of God's Spirit permeating and saturating our lives with His goodness!
Brothers and Sisters - Keep living in God!!! Keep living in love!!!
Continue experiencing formation into the likeness of Jesus!!!
ELGUY!!!
Continue loving your family, including that family member who others and/or yourself finds difficult to love!
Continue loving your congregation, including that brother or sister who others and/or yourself finds difficult to love!
Continue being Christ-like at work, including toward that co-worker or boss who others and/or yourself finds difficult to love!
Resist the temptation to not love! Refuse to be a container of even a smidget of hatred! Resolve to be empty of any ill-will, or even indifference!
To summarize and clarify:
Continue investing your life in people - even people who seem to not appreciate you, value you, your friendship or help, and people for whom it appears that your love and investment is not making any difference.
God's unending love for you and investment in you has made all the difference for you, and your unwavering love for someone with whom you could easily give up on is what could make all the difference in their life and future.
Be a vessel full of God, overflowing with love for God, for yourself, and for others!!!
-Brian
Volume 2 Post/Email 8 – John 14:17
The last few posts on spiritual formation have been specifically on the concept of union with God.
Without going deeper in terms of my own commentary and observations, below are several statements of truth from Jesus for us to consider and pray concerning a closer union with our Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.
May your reading and meditating upon these be a blessing to you spiritually!
“But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.” – John 14:17
“On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.” – John 14:20
“If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” – John 14:23
“Remain in me and I will remain in you.” – John 15:4
“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.” – John 15:7
“Remain in my love.” – John 15:9
“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” – John 15:11
“All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them.” – John 17:10
“Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name – the name you gave me – so that they may be one as we are one.” – John 17:11
“May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” – John 17:21
“I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.” – John 17:26
Also, these are all wonderful verses to be mindful of when taking communion on Sunday with the Father, Son, Spirit, and your brothers and sisters in Christ.
-Brian
Volume 2 Post/Email 7 – John 15:4 (Part 2)
(Picking up from the end of yesterday’s post…)
Lastly, Brodie explains:
"Oneness with the ultimate reality is not an abstract idea; it is a spiritual experience of knowing that the timeless God is at the door inviting you to full union. It is an attentiveness to the present, a readiness, at every moment, to receive reality, to enjoy deeply even the simplest things." (1)
-Didn’t Jesus enjoy deeply even the simplest things?
A list of some simple pleasures he enjoyed:
sharing a meal (There are more than a dozen “table” references in Luke's narrative.)
hosting/providing a meal
celebrating a wedding
greeting strangers (Nathaniel, woman at well, Zachaeus, 2 traveling to Emmaeus, etc.)
walking in/observing nature (birds, lilies, soil, seeds, trees, etc.)
visiting in homes
fishing/boating with friends (disciples)
talking with His Father
attending banquets
playing with children
retreating to a mountain
Who would Jesus not share a meal with? In fact, this is why he told the parables of the lost sheep, coin, and son – the Pharisees questioned his social life. *Jesus treated everyone as a treasure!
Jesus enjoyed deeply the simple blessings of life!
-Could we be searching for joy, when we could actually be experiencing it in the moment?
-Shouldn't we be enjoying (and not rushing) the meals we share with others?
-Are we embracing the invitation to full union?
-How is prayer essential to daily union, communion, and joy?
-Brian
1 Thomas L. Brodie, The Gospel According To John (New York: Oxford University Press), 60-61
Volume 2 Post/Email 7 – John 15:4
This is our 7th post of thoughts on spiritual formation, and a continuation of the 6th message on the concept of prayer and union with God.
In Thomas Brodie's Commentary on the gospel of John, he argues persuasively that the starting point of John's theology is abiding restful union.
1. The prologue speaks of Jesus being "at the Father's side" (literally - 'in the bosom of the Father') in John 1:18.
2. We see "the disciple whom Jesus loved" reclining on Jesus' bosom in John 13:23.
3. John repeats this intimate moment at the very end of his gospel in John 21:20.
In the middle of the gospel narrative, we find Jesus speaking not only of his oneness with the Father (as in Jn. 17:22-23 from last week), but also of Jesus' union with us. He states in 15:4a, "Remain in me, and I will remain in you."
Brodie writes, "Thus there is a form of restful union which exists first of all in God, but in which humans can participate both during this life and during a later life." (1)
The Apostle Paul speaks of this concept of oneness with Jesus in several of his writings. One example is Galatians 2:20a - "I no longer live, but Christ lives in me."
Biblical scholar John McKenzie writes about our experience and recognition of the divinity of Jesus (such as John 1:1a "In the beginning was the Word."), and the immediate cause of psychological and spiritual change.
"We recognize that the person whom we have encountered speaks to our innermost being, supplies our needs, satisfies our desires. We recognize that this person gives life meaning. I do not say a new meaning supply, for we realize that before we encountered this person life had no real meaning. We recognize that this person has revealed to us not only himself, but our own true self as well. We recognize that we cannot be our own true self except by union with this person. In him, the obscure is illuminated, the uncertain yields to the certain, insecurity is replaced by a deep sense of security. In him we find we have achieved an understanding of many things which baffled us. We recognize in his person strength and power which we can sense passing from him to us." (2)
Lastly, back to Brodie's commentary, he explains:
"Oneness with the ultimate reality is not an abstract idea; it is a spiritual experience of knowing that the timeless God is at the door inviting you to full union. It is an attentiveness to the present, a readiness, at every moment, to receive reality, to enjoy deeply even the simplest things." (1)
-Brian
1 Thomas L. Brodie, The Gospel According To John (New York: Oxford University Press), 60-61.
2 Dictionary of the Bible (New York: McMillian, 1965), 269.
Volume 2 Post/Email 6 – John 17:22-23
Why do you pray?
No doubt, this is a question for which one could think of several answers from Scripture.
Whatever else it may be, prayer is first and foremost an act of love. Prayer is born of a desire to be with Jesus. To really love someone implies a natural longing for presence and intimate communion.
So, one reason for praying should be that you want to grow closer in union with Jesus and with your Father!
Jesus prayed that we would experience the same union and closeness that he has with the Father.
"I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." (John 17:22-23)
Is my life in harmony with God? Am I experiencing God's loving presence and glory? Am I receiving God's love in prayer, and expressing love to my Father, and my Lord and Shepherd Jesus, through prayer?
Prayer is vital to union with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit.
Some simple but heart-felt prayers we can express to God each day:
"Father, I belong to you."
"Father, may I be in union with you today as your child."
"Father, I love you. Thank you for loving me 100%."
"Father, better is one day worshipping you than a thousand doing anything else."
Galatians 4:6 speaks of our relationship with our Father - "Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who cries out, "Abba, Father."
The Spirit cries out to His Abba.
If the Spirit dwells in you, He is prompting you to talk with your Father each day.
Throughout the gospel narratives of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, Jesus talks with His Father.
Jesus prayed for us, including that we would know the Father's love.
John 17:23b - "...to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."
One reason I pray is because I love being a child of God. I desire to talk with my Father, to express my love, and to grow closer in love and union with Him.
This week, will prayer be a chore, or a joy?
-Brian
(Below is a prayer from Brennan Manning's book "Souvenirs of Solitude", Chapter 4, pg. 43)
Lord - I'm not free - but who wants to be?
You're all that matters in my life.
I don't want to be free of my hunger for your bread.
I don't want to be free of my thirst for your word.
I don't want to be free of my desire for your will.
I don't want to be free of my longing for your presence.
I don't want to be free of my need to be taken up, taken over, joined to you.
Lord, may I never be free from wanting you.
Volume 2 Post/Email 5 – 1 Timothy 2:8
As we continue thinking about and seeking spiritual formation into the likeness of Christ, I want to think about the transforming experience prayer should be.
Prayer is central to our spiritual life! This is probably why there are hundreds of Scriptures on prayer – to emphasize its importance.
While there are so many stories and teachings to choose from, I have selected one short verse for us to think upon, primarily because of its simplicity.
Paul writes in 1 Timothy 2:8, “I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing.”
Some will narrow their focus on this verse to the part that mentions “men everywhere” and talk about male spiritual leadership including only men praying (that the Bible states that all can get on their knees, but that only men can lift their hands in prayer). This is what some will emphasize as Paul's real concern in 1 Timothy 2:8.
Others will narrow their focus on this verse to the phrase “lift up holy hands” and discuss the freedom Christians have to lift hands in worship/expression to God. This is what some will emphasize as Paul's real concern in 1 Timothy 2:8.
I do not want to narrow the focus on either, for 2 reasons. (1) I might read too much into a phrase, such as, that Paul is actually trying to exclude women from being participants in prayer. (2) I might miss the primary message of the verse.
Prayer is (supposed to be) a holy thing. Paul is exhorting Timothy to make sure those he is teaching do not make something holy, unholy.
How specifically does he convey this concept?
By saying that we are to be holy!
How might we be unholy?
Two examples in the verse are offered - by our anger, and by our disputing! Usually anger leads to disputing, but disputing can also lead to anger, or fuel the anger.
Our lives should be a reflection of our prayers, which is to say, our lives should be holy. We aren't to honor Jesus with our lips but deny him in our lifestyle.
In 2 Timothy 2:22 Paul tells Timothy, “Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with all those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”
Elsewhere Peter says, “be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.” (1 Peter 4:7b)
We need self-control concerning anger and fighting. If I fight with my hands, they could become unholy. If I fight with my words, my lips and speech could become unholy.
May the prayers we lift up this week be with holy lives, with holy hands and holy lips!
May the holy and divine act of prayer and worship of The Divine transform our lives by changing our hearts!
May the prayers we lift up to God this week indeed be with pure hearts.
And, may the way we treat others and talk with others this week be with pure hearts, without anger or disputing.
-Brian
Volume 2 Post/Email 4 – Galatians 4:19
This week, we continue with more thoughts on the theme of spiritual formation.
In Galatians 4:19 Paul writes, “My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you.”
I believe this verse adds more to our previous post from 1 Peter 2:1-3 concerning growing up in our salvation as “newborn babies”.
Though Paul is writing to Christians who already believe in Christ, and have committed to following Christ, they are still in need of growth. One spiritual goal Paul had for them is that Christ would be formed inside of them, individually and collectively.
Along with our personal salvation, our personal spiritual development is of utmost importance! (This is also true for entire congregations.)
Much of the focus in the New Testament letters to the various Christians concerns them continuing to develop in their knowledge and faith, and how this impacts (should impact) daily living.
Obviously, the church of Christ, or community of Christ, is to be a people who are growing in the character and teachings of Christ. This means we look to Jesus for direction into divine living.
And discipleship demands evaluation and reevaluation of who I am, what I believe, and who I am becoming.
Am I becoming more like Jesus?
Through the gospels, we find Jesus asking his disciples questions, as a catalyst to cause them to assess and often reassess their life and faith.
A good spiritual question for us to ask ourselves is – In what ways do I lack the identity and character of Christ?
Am I lacking humility? Am I lacking honesty? Am I lacking compassion? Am I lacking faith/trust? (and so forth)
Are we in touch with the God of our interiority? Do we need to rethink and reexamine our attitudes toward self? Toward others? (We probably need to be in the habit of considering both!)
Thankfully, any identified needs for repentance and growth are not a mere act of will (or will-power).
Transformation of character is a continual interest of the Holy Spirit. We have God’s grace and power to propel us, empower us, and grow us.
Thus, spiritual fruit does not result from a humanistic effort at “self-transformation”, but from an ongoing walk in the Spirit. (In Galatians 5, it contrasts this concept with the “works of the flesh” and the “fruit of the Spirit”.)
In confession of our need for the Spirit’s help, we act in faith and repentance, attempting to follow Jesus, learn from Jesus, and be conformed to his likeness.
(I realize at this point I may be overstating, but I believe the following paragraph may be helpful to at least some readers.)
Sometimes the Spirit’s work is quiet and unnoticeable. The inward changes taking place may not be acknowledged by others, or even always seen by ourselves. Sometimes, this is because the fruit of the Spirit grows gradually rather than instantly. (Just as we focused last week on new Christians starting as spiritual newborns, and how it takes time to develop from a newborn to a person of maturity.)
So one way to measure my progress is by the fruit of the Spirit. A lack of fruit is a sign of an unhealthy and stagnant relationship with Christ.
After Paul lists the familiar fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23, he states, “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other” (5:25-26)
Thus, another way to measure my spiritual walk, and whether Christ is continuing to be formed in me, is to evaluate my relationships. If I am becoming conceited, that will show in how I act around and treat others.
1. Exaggerating our own importance denies our total dependence upon and need for God. We are spiritually bankrupt and inadequate without the reign of God, love of God, and forgiveness of God.
2. Exaggerating our own worth also devalues the worth of others in our eyes. We are all 100% unworthy because of sin, yet 100% loved. We are loveable because he loves us!
It is through a growing awareness of the transforming power of God’s constant love for us that we respond with joy at the intoxicating prospect of a whole new way of life. A radical new way of life slowly become reality. The invitation to the abundant life Jesus offers is accepted and begins coming to fruition in our life. God’s kingdom slowly begins to permeate our life like yeast in bread (Matt. 13:33), and over time, we experience a reformation of our whole person. Trust becomes natural. Obedience becomes natural. Prayer becomes natural. Joy becomes natural. Love becomes natural – not just good feelings for others - but positive actions like forgiving and serving others, becomes natural.
Sin becomes unnatural!
Thus, we have Christ’s abiding presence, identity, character and strength formed, and ever forming, in us!!!
2 Peter 1:3 reads, “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”
-Brian
(Next week, and probably for more than one week, we will think deeper on this matter pertaining to the transforming potential of a regular and authentic life of prayer.)
New Prayer Page
Greetings again to all who have subscribed to ELGUY.ORG!
I wanted to briefly mention that a new page has been added to our website, titled "Lift Up My Eyes". On the page are various Scriptures on prayer to teach, remind, and encourage us on the matter. Likewise, by highlighting the page at the top you can access articles from different Christian authors on the topic. Since these are not mailed to subscribers, I wanted to take a moment to send out this post informing those who might be interested. Prayer, of course, is vital to our faith and spiritual life.
-Brian
Volume 1 Post/Email 7 – Philippians 4:6
We all have seasons in our life where, what I call “potential problems”, present themselves.
The doctor says a loved one may not recover, we find out we may have cancer, or we do have cancer but don’t know if we will overcome it, we get the impression there is a chance we might lose our job, we see signs of separation in our marriage, etc.
It’s not that we are sick, or will not survive, or are losing our job, but that there’s the possibility. What are we oriented to do when potential problems surface? WORRY!!!
What will happen if I have this sickness?
Am I going to beat this illness?
How will our family make it if this paycheck goes?
I never in a million years thought this could be happening to my marriage…
I don’t have children, but I have observed those who have older ones worry a lot about their children, especially when they have been making some poor decisions.
We worry because we feel a loss of control and struggle with that feeling.
A parent is powerless over a grown child’s choices. We can perform well and still lose our job. We can have a healthy lifestyle and still get a life-threatening illness. We all know these things, and know worrying isn’t going to change anything, and yet, we sometimes worry anyway.
Paul challenges us on this. In Philippians 4:6 he says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
He goes on to say God will grant us peace.
He then encourages us in verse 8 to think about (meditate on) those things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy.
Whatever problems and potential problems that you and I face this week are not nearly as important as how we deal with them. Paul says to lean on God in faith and prayer and dwell on what is true and positive.
One thing that always helps me is to reflect on previous matters that I worried about and how God guided me through those, which builds my faith for the present.
In an attempt at being transparent, what I typically do is to be anxious for a period of time, and then finally – finally – finally actually think to pray. Then after praying, I feel the peace and claim the promise of peace and feel more at ease.
Whatever you think you have to worry about this week, Paul says you have to pray about this week.
-Brian